Avoiding another Katrina

Stockton firm plans trailers that set up fast in emergencies

STOCKTON - Tens of thousands of travel trailers provided to shelter the victims of Hurricane Katrina seemed only to compound the tragedy when many were found to emit excessive levels of toxic formaldehyde.

STOCKTON - Tens of thousands of travel trailers provided to shelter the victims of Hurricane Katrina seemed only to compound the tragedy when many were found to emit excessive levels of toxic formaldehyde.

That failing prompted James Pope, a San Francisco builder and former wood-products manufacturer, to act.

Using a modular building system of his own design, Pope developed emergency-response housing that could fit into a shipping container, be easily transported where needed, then quickly deployed. As envisioned, each unit could provide its own power and clean water, sufficient to operate without external electric or sanitation services for up to two weeks.

That was the start of Green Horizon Manufacturing, which rolled out its prototype shelter at 2009 West Coast Green, an annual conference showcasing green innovation.

Today, that original vision has changed, and Pope plans to dismantle that first prototype.

But using the basic modular components, in particular lightweight wall sections of an aluminum frame and skin over a low-emissions form core, have been adapted to offer a wide variety of buildings that can be easily delivered and quickly erected and as easily removed or reconfigured.

The panels quickly hook together, edge to edge, with built-in cam locks or latches. Entire homes can be assembled in just minutes or a few hours with little more than a hex key.

The company, which has its manufacturing facility in space leased from the Port of Stockton, is now beginning to find its market, Pope said.

"The difficulty in being a relatively new idea and a new system ... it's next to impossible to get through all the processes," he explained.

But now that the business is beginning to get some traction, Pope said, "It's been exciting. We actually have real sales, and we have a real product we are selling.

Green Horizon is on the Federal Supply Schedule maintained by the General Services Administration, meaning it has been evaluated by the agency on price, performance, financial and technical capability and other regulatory compliance.

It is also with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, whose Joint Housing Solutions Group evaluates temporary housing for use in a disaster, looking at adaptability, livability, speed of deployment and cost.

Pope said Green Horizon is in the opening stages of a potential five-year, $25 million contract with FEMA to produce a system of housing for emergency first responders.

His approach involves a truck-trailer-sized central support unit that provides power, water and communications connections for up to 10 "quick hab" housing units, each sleeping two people and containing a small kitchen and bathroom unit.

The prototype central unit features a tilting outside wall of solar panels, a diesel generator and a hydrogen fuel cell, all feeding a bed of 24 batteries, to provide electric power. Onboard filtration and reverse-osmosis systems allow it to take water from a pond, lake or bay to supply its users. And a telescoping satellite antenna and security camera, provide telephone and cable connections.

"It's kind of fun," Pope said as he recalled designing the whole thing in his head before sitting down at a drawing board.

"It's every kid's dream to be able to play with this kind of stuff and make it work," he said with a grin.

The central unit prototype is due for final FEMA testing in March.

Green Horizon technology has some exotic applications, such as use in military training facilities, where buildings and walls can be easily rearranged to keep trainees guessing what they will find around the next corner or even if there is a corner.

There are more mundane uses as well.

"One of the biggest areas we hope will be is offices and break rooms in factories," Pope said.

But here again, the ability to quickly move or alter the building space is a big selling point.

Pope said one of his small, simple buildings might cost $4,000 to $5,000. Larger modular homes, suitable for housing disaster victim families for 18 to 36 months, might go for $42,000 to $100,000, depending on how they are equipped.